My car has been paid off for almost a year and I’ve had the itch to go trade it in for something brand spanking new! There really wasn’t anything wrong with the old car, but it was starting to show signs of age. It was a 2005 Honda Accord that I had bought used in ’07. It was the best car I’ve ever had, but it was time to move on. I really wanted a small crossover SUV instead of a car, so the search began online. While your husband or spouse should be consulted with on your new purchase, I’m here to prove that you don’t NEED them to close the deal!
A Mom’s Guide to Buying a New Car (without your spouse)
1. Research online first. Know what type of car you want and research all the other cars in that category. I found the reviews on Edmunds.com to be really good and I loved their video reviews. It really helped me see inside the car before I was at the dealership.
2. Discuss and agree on a budget. I did talk with my husband about our budget and made sure we were on the same page. We talked about how much we thought we could afford each month and which cars would fit that budget. We also talked about how we were going to finance the new car and how much we hoped to get for a trade-in on my old car. Kelley Blue Book can help you research car values (new and used). We have really good credit (both of us) so I could finance the car in my name with no problem.
3. Test drive as many cars as you can! I actually spent 2 Saturdays test driving some of the different cars in the crossover SUV category; even a few that were over my budget. I really wanted to know what I was getting for my money and know which ones drove well. My kids loved test driving new cars; just remember if you’re test driving with small children you’ll need to install the car seat each time. Thankfully, mine are both older so we just needed the booster seat.
4. Don’t be in a rush! Unless it’s the end of the year or the last car of its type on the market, you are in no rush to make a purchase. We found that as it got closer to the end of the month, the dealers were more aggressive and ready to make a deal. I let each of the dealers know ahead of time that I wasn’t planning on making my purchase that day.
5. Wait a week, the dealers will probably offer you a better deal! I started test driving vehicles about 2 weeks before the end of the month. By the last week, the dealers were drooling and calling me to “give me a better deal” on the car I drove. Just know that you risk losing the specific car you may have fallen in love with by waiting.
6. Know your numbers. I’m actually embarrassed by some of the text messages I sent my husband while filling out the loan application. He pays most of the bills (it’s better that way, I promise) and I didn’t even know how much our mortgage was each month. Important numbers you may be asked for on your application include; monthly salary, mortgage amount, other monthly loans you pay, account numbers, phone numbers (for references), etc. Although, I did find out that most of this information wasn’t really needed either. I left quite a few things blank on the application and was still approved.
7. Read everything and don’t be afraid to ask questions. When it comes time to signing the paperwork, be sure you read over everything. Do you need the extended warranty? What does the extra protection even cover? The only thing extra I added was the road hazard warranty; it covers all your tires if you get a nail in them or anything like that. I didn’t pay for the “free” oil changes or extended coverage because my insurance is actually really good and covers most of that (except the oil changes, but those are pretty cheap). I asked a lot of questions, even if they sounded dumb!
8. Phone a friend or spouse if needed. Yes, like I said earlier, I text my spouse several times during the process to make sure he was “ok” with my decision. He helped answer a lot of my questions with the loan application (since he pays the bills). Even if your spouse doesn’t join you, you’re still a team!
9. If you’re taking the kids, bring lots of entertainment and snacks! On the day that I actually signed the papers, I brought both kids with my while my husband was at work. I made sure we brought the iPads (or other entertainment devices) and a backpack full of snacks. Some dealerships have water, popcorn, and candy for the kids, too. The dealerships with the kids play areas were my favorite!!
10. Smile, you did it! Be proud when you walk out the door with the keys to your new car, you did it! I also called my parents and thanked them for teaching me how to be financially responsible so that I wouldn’t need a co-signer when financing a car. When I got home I hugged my husband for his support. Even though I bought the car by myself, I couldn’t have done it without his support throughout the process.
I hate buying cars, so thank you for these great tips! It’s almost time we trade mine in. Yay!